Pottery apparatus and process for working the same



A (N0 Model.)

G. LIGOWSKY.

POTTERY APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR WORKING THE SAME.

No. 246,161. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LIGOWSKY, OF CINCINNATI, ()IIIO.

POTTERY APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR WORKING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,161, dated August23, 1881.

Application filed J uno 14, 18:41.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LIGOWSKY, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county,Ohio, have invented a new and useful Process and Apparatus for theManufacture of Pottery, of which invention the following is aspecification.

The first part of my invention comprises a novel process of removing thesuperfluous material from those molds which are charged with asemi-fluid commonly known as slip. This process consists in allowing theslip to remain in the molds or flasks only as long as may be necessarytosecure a proper deposit of material therein, and as soon as this resulthas been accomplished the remaining slip is exhausted by means of avacuum produced, preferably within a suitable receiver or vessel, by apump or any other con venicnt appliance. From this vacuum-vessel a hoseor flexible tube having a valve or cock or other cut-off device extendsto the bench 01' table upon which a row of filled molds are set, and assoon as this tube is placed in one of said molds and the cock opened thesuperfluous slip is instantly drawn out, as hereiuafter more fullydescribed.

The second part of my invention comprises certain novel devices forcarrying this process into operation, the principal appliance being apeculiarly-constructed suction -tube that enters the mold and draws offthe slip, said tube being so arranged as to leave any desired thicknessof material at the crown of the article pro.- duced. Furthermore, thissuction-tube is so arranged as to occupy an exactly central positionwhen inserted in the mold, and is provided with a valve capable of beingreadily opened at will, as hereinafter more fully described.

III the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is arepresentation of the generalarrangement of my preferred construction of apparatus, the upperportions ot'thc slip-reservoir and vacuum-vessel being sectioned. Fig. 2is an axial section of a. mold filled with slip, or any equivalent scmifluid material capable, of being used for the manufacture of pottery.Fig.3 is another axial section of said mold, but showing thesuction-tube inserted therein and the superfluous slip partiallywithdrawn. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectionized elevation of thesuction-tube dctached from its hose-connection. Fig. 5 is a transversesection of said't'ube.

(No model.)

A represents a tank or rcservoir,into which the slip B may be elevatedwith a pump or otherwise. Proceeding from this reservoir is a hoscorother flexible tubing, U,ofsuch length as to reach all the molds thatare to be charged. The free end of this hose has a faucet or valve, orother convenient device, I), \vherewith to control the flow of slip intothe various molds or flasks, 1*],which latterarepreferablyarranged intwo or more parallel rows on a long table, bench, or other suitablesupport, F.

Gr represents a vacuum-vessel, from which the air is drawn by a pump,II, or other exhanster, said pump being operated either by hand orpower, as maybe most convenient. This pump has a suction-pipe, h,entering near the top of said vacuum-vessel, as shown.

I is a drain-cock for drawing oif the slip as soon as it teaches acertain height in the vessel G, which level may be determined with acommon glass gage, or otherwise. Attached at or I near the top of thisvessel is a hose or flexible tubing, J, having a suction-nozzle, K,constructed as shown in Fig. 4. This nozzle or tube K has at itsreceiving end aperforated strainer or rose, L, which allows the sliptoflow in as soon asthe valve N is opened, said valve being seated in ahead of said tube, and being provided with a stem, 0, carryinga buttonor knob, 0, at its exposed end. Valve N is maintained in its normal orclosed position by a spring, 1, which may be a simple leaf or plate, asshown in Fig. 4; or said spring may be coiled around the outer portionof stem 0, as represented in Fi 1, or it may be otherwise arranged. v

Suction-tube K can be screwed into or out of an elbow, R, which deviceis furnished with radial arms S,havingdownward prolongations or lugs s.Of these arms three are preferably used, as indicated in Fig.

My process is carried into operation in the following manner: The tank Abeing filled with slip B, the molds E arranged on the tahle F, and asuitable vacuum produced in the exhauster G, the potter then proceeds totill each of said molds, which act is accomplished by simply opening thefaucet D and allowing the proper quantity of slip to flow through thehose 0. Owing to tho flexible nature of this hose, all of the molds canbe reached and readilyfilled in a few minutes, and as soon as thematerial has set and formed a suitable deposit on the interior of themold the potter then inserts the suction-tube K in the mold, opens thevalve N by depressing its stem o, and the superfluous slip is at oncedrawn through thehoseJ and discharged into the exhauster G. This stageof the process is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, a reference to whichillustration will show the slip adhering to the upper part of the moldat Z, while the slip inthe lower portion thereof is being drawn of. Thisillustration also shows the arms S resting on the top of the mold andserving as stops that prevent the tube K reaching too near the bottom ofthe mold, and by simply screwing said tube out of or into the elbow Rthe rose L can be caused to approach or recedefrom the bottom of mold E.Consequently the thickness of the crown of the article being made can beregulated with the utmost nicet-y. Furthermore, this illustration showsthat the lugs s fit snugly over thesides of the mold, and thuscentralize the tube K in the most perfect and expeditious manner. Thethickness ot'depositin the mold will,of course, depend on theconsistency of the slip, the materials of which it is composed, and theporosity of the mold E, which' latter may be made of plaster-of-paris,so as to absorb the water in the slip quite rapidly. The slip havingbeen thus exhausted from one mold, the potter then removes the pressurefrom the button o and allows the valve N to reseat itself whilethesuction-tube K is bein g removed and inserted in the adjacent mold, andthese operations are repeated until all the molds are emptied of theirsuperfluous slip, as above described. Thc molds, with their adheringcontents, are then removed to a drying-room, and

' subsequently handled in the manner well known to all potters, thecontraction incidental to drying causing the articles to be readilyliberated from the flask. After the exhauster G has become nearly filledthe cock 1 is opened, the slip drawnoft' and then returned to tank A,thereby preventing any waste of material. It will thus be seen that theslip does not enter. the pump H, and therefore there is no danger of itsvalves and packing being destroyed by the gritty materials in the fluid;but in some cases the exhauster may be dispensed with andthe slip bedrawn directly out with a special pump adapted for such service; or thewithdrawal of the superfluous slip may be efl'ected with a vacuumproduced in any manner whatever, as my invention is notto be limited toany special appliances or devices for effecting the vacuum. Neither isit to be limited to any special kind of slip, or shape, or size ofmaterial produced in the molds. Finally, a series of suction-tubes canbe attached to one hose, in order that the opening of a single valvewill exhaust a number of molds of their superfluous slip at oneoperation.

I claim as my invention- 1. The within-described process of exhaustingsuperfluous slip from a mold by means of. a vacuum, after a suitabledeposit of material has formed within said mold, for the purpose stated.

2. An'improved pottery apparatus, consist- 7o ing of an elevated,receptacle for containing slip, a hose for conducting said fluid to themolds, a suction-tube and hosefor exhausting the superfluous sliptherefrom, and a suitable device for producing a vacuum, substantiallyas described.

3. An improved pottery apparatus, consisting of the elevated receptacleA, valved hoseconnection (J D, suction-pipe K L N, flexible tubing J,exhauster G, and pump H h, or its equivalent, for the purpose hereindescribed.

4. The combination of suction-tube K L, valve N, stem 0, and externalretractile spring, P, as'herein described.

5. The suction-tube K L, adjustable with reference to the elbow R, forthe purpose described.

6. The combination of adjustable suction tube K L and elbow R, whichlatter is provided with radial arms S, having lugs s, for thepurposeexplained.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- GEORGE LIGOWSKY.

Witnesses JAMES H. LAYMAN, SAML. S. CARPENTER.

